Or the Fundamental Problem with Webcams

We all have first-hand experience with video-conferencing:

• FaceTime
• Google Hangouts/Meet
• Zoom
• BlueJeans
• Skype

Webcam video is inferior to in-person and it’s for one key reason:

You are not seeing eye-to-eye with your counterpart

A simple visual check of how webcams work confirms this:

And here is what you typically look like, putting forward your best faith effort to appear like you are listening/paying attention to your counterparty:

Two solutions

Put the camera behind the screen

Interrotron, Chinese smartphone

Use software to transform your video

FaceTime:

• https://www.theverge.com/2019/7/3/20680681/ios-13-beta-3-facetime-attention-correction-eye-contact
• https://twitter.com/schukin/status/1146359923158089728?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1146359923158089728&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theverge.com%2F2019%2F7%2F3%2F20680681%2Fios-13-beta-3-facetime-attention-correction-eye-contact